Braves Host Saint Joseph's Saturday Afternoon

Men's Basketball 12/17/2021 10:07:00 AM

Bradley (4-6, 1-0 MVC) vs. Saint Joseph's (6-4, 0-0 A10)
Game Details	Saturday, Dec. 18 • 2 p.m. • Peoria, Ill. • Carver Arena
Television	NBC Sports Chicago / ESPN+
Radio	1470 & 100.3 WMBD
Game Notes	Bradley \| Saint Joseph's
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| Twitter: @bradleyumbb \| Instagram: @bradleyumbb
Tickets	Ticketmaster \| (309) 677-2625

For the first time in 11 days, the Braves are back in action when they host Saint Joseph's of the Atlantic 10 on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff at Carver Arena is set for 2 p.m. on NBC Sports Chicago and ESPN+.

ABOUT THE BRAVES
• Bradley enters Saturday's game with a 4-6 overall record and a 1-0 mark in MVC action.
• The Braves are in action for the first time in 11 days due to finals. Bradley last played on Dec. 7 with a 67-65 setback at Toledo.
• Junior Terry Roberts leads the Braves with 15.4 points and 3.8 assists per game in 2021-22.
• Senior Ja'Shon Henry and junior Malevy Leons also average in double figures with 10.4 points and 10.1 points, respectively.
• Sophomore Rienk Mast has collected a team-best 9.0 rebounds per game.
• The Braves average 70.0 points this season, while allowing 66.2 on defense.

SERIES HISTORY
• The Braves and Hawks have met six prior times with Bradley holding a 4-2 lead in the series.
• The schools were supposed to play in Peoria last year before a COVID pause in the Saint Joseph's program postponed the contest to 2021.
• In 2019, the teams opened the season at Saint Joseph's with the hosts earning a 86-81 victory in the first meeting between the teams in 33 years.
• Bradley's last win in the series was the teams' only meeting in Peoria – a 65-63 contest in 1982.

BRAVES VERSUS ATLANTIC 10
• Bradley is 9-7 all-time against Atlantic 10 schools.
• The Braves have lost their last four contests with the conference, including a 78-70 setback to Duquesne earlier this season.
• Bradley's last win versus an A10 school was in 2012 against George Washington, 76-68.

ABOUT THE HAWKS
• Saint Joseph's enters the weekend with a 6-4 overall record in 2021-22.
• The Hawks have won their last two games over local rivals Penn and Temple.
• Three Hawks score in double figures – Jordan Hall (17.3), Taylor Funk (13.6) and Ejike Obinna (13.3).
• Hall also leads the team with 5.8 assists, while Funk has a team-best 6.9 rebounds.
• Saint Joseph's average 70.8 points per game, while allowing 69.4.

HOME SWEET HOME
• Bradley will be excited to be back home in front of its fans at Carver Arena on Saturday.
• The Braves have won their last four home contests and are 4-1 overall in Peoria this year.
• On the opposite end, BU is 0-5 in away and neutral games in 2021-22.

STAY HOT TERRY ROBERTS
• The Braves are hoping that the 11-day break doesn't cool down Terry Roberts.
• In three December games so far, Roberts has scored 19.3 points per game – shooting 55.8 percent from the field.

STRONG START FOR ROBERTS
• Overall, junior college transfer Terry Roberts has had a strong start to his Division I career.
• Roberts leads Bradley with 15.4 points and 3.8 assists per game in 2021-22. His totals are also the highest by any Valley newcomer this season.
• In fact, Roberts' 154 total points are the most in a player's first 10 games of his Bradley career since Marcellus Sommerville scored 169 in the first 10 contests of 2003-04.
• Overall, Roberts has led BU in scoring in 6-of-10 games this season and in assists seven times.

SHOOTING TURNAROUND
• After a slow start to the season, the Braves are now making their shots at a much higher clip.
• Bradley has improved its shooting by nearly six percent the last five games, while increasing its 3-point percentage by 17.0 percent.
• Overall, Bradley is shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3-point range.

DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
• The Braves have once again been anchored by their defense in 2021-22.
• Of 358 schools nationally, Bradley ranks among the top 10 percent in field goal percentage defense, 2-point defense and blocks.
• In fact, Bradley has forced its opponent under its average field goal percentage in 7-of-10 games this season – including six contests of at least eight percent lower.

STRONG START NEEDED
• Getting off to a good start has been key in Bradley games this season.
• The team with the halftime lead has won nine of the 10 games this season – BU's edge with now nationally-ranked Colorado State was the only contest where the advantage didn't hold.
• Overall, Bradley has lost its last 13 games when trailing at the intermission, dating back to last season.

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